JOINING THE BLOOMS: A GUIDE TO BECOMING AN AZALEA TRAIL MAID IN MOBILE, ALABAMA

by: Chris Andrews

The azalea bushes in Mobile, Alabama bloom here like no other place in the United States. Generations of people have visited our town in the spring to adore this beautiful plant that encapsulates the essence of Southern charm, tradition, and community pride. 

Established in 1929 by the Mobile Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees), the Azalea Trail was an ambitious project to beautify the city’s streets and promote local tourism through the planting of azaleas along the city’s major thoroughfares. This initiative, led by local businessman Sam Lackland, quickly flourished, transforming Mobile into one of the South’s premier tourist destinations and garnering a nickname that continues to this day – The Azalea City.